All employees, bar none, in New Jersey are, or should be, covered by their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance policy. New Jersey has a relatively progressive policy when it comes to protecting employees in the event that there is a workplace injury or illness. It is important to inform your workplace supervisor in the event that you have an accident or become ill while at work. The injury or illness must be recorded in order for a claim to be processed efficiently. Employment in New Jersey New Jersey is a small, but relatively densely populated state, with a lot of employment in a large number of different occupations. Of the nearly 4 million workers in the state, just over 16% (654,000 individuals) work in some kind of an office or in an administrative support capacity. Just about half of all employed people in New Jersey work in an office, in sales (e.g. stores and supermarkets), transport, education and training type jobs and food preparation. The New Jersey annual mean wage is relatively high at $56,030. The mean hourly wage is also relatively high at $26.94. All figures quoted here come from the May 2016 database held by the federal agency, the Bureau of Labor. Employers’ Responsibilities for Workers’ Compensation Insurance in New Jersey New Jersey requirements for employers with regard to workers compensation insurance are quite simple. Without exception, employers must obtain workers' comp insurance. In New Jersey, even if a worker is from out of state, if the work they do is carried out for an employer in N.J., then they must be covered by workers’ comp. As in most other states, insurance must be bought by the employer from a commercial insurance carrier that has state approval. In a limited number of cases, an employer may be in a position to insure themselves. Self-insurance must be approved by the relevant body in the state. All government agencies in New Jersey must also have workers’ compensation insurance to cover their employees in the event of a workplace injury or illness. Federal agencies have a separate insurance agreement to cover federal workers . More Information about New Jersey’s Workers’ Comp Regulations Unlike the situation in other states, sole proprietorships in New Jersey must make workers comp insurance provisions for themselves or self-insure if they are in a position to do so. The same requirements go for partnerships and LLCs, although the regulations are somewhat more complicated. It is important that any employer in New Jersey ensures that they understand the state’s regulations and take the initiative to ensure they abide by the law. Employers that fail to insure themselves adequately may be penalized harshly and may also be subject to personal injury lawsuits made against them by their employees in the event of injury or illness. When a Workers Comp Attorney May be a Useful Option Despite the strict requirements in New Jersey, unfortunately claims do not always proceed smoothly. There may be a situation in which a workers’ comp attorney can help expedite a claim for compensation. If an employer is fund to be illegally uninsured or deliberately making things difficult, then this is the time that an attorney can be approached.
